Gunfire at LAX, Terminal Evacuated

UPDATE: The suspect in the LAX shooting on Friday, Paul Ciancia, hailed from Pennsville, New Jersey, according to the Associated Press. He was living in Los Angeles, according to his family. The AP reports that Ciancia wore fatigues and carried a bag with a note saying he wanted to kill TSA members and “pigs.” The police chief in Pennsville said that Ciancia’s father had received a text message from his son on Friday morning suggesting that Paul wanted to commit suicide. The officer killed, according to J. David Cox Sr., national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, was a behavioral detection officer. Six people were taken to the hospital according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Transportation Security Administration says multiple officers with the agency were shot, one fatally. The agency declined to provide further information, saying additional details would be given by the FBI and police.

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UNION: SHOOTER NOT TSA AGENT

Tim Kauffman, a spokesman for American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 45,000 TSA screeners, says the airport shooter was not a TSA officer.

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Terminal 3 at Los Angeles International Airport has been shut down after a shooting incident, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. Local news reported 3 people being removed from the scene, including a TSA employee, who was rumored to have been shot in the leg with a rifle at the Virgin counter; KCAL 9 also reported that a big box of ammunition has been found by police, and that one suspect was wearing camouflage. KCAL 9 added that “multiple suspicious packages” have been found by the police. Other reports suggest that two people were wounded, including the suspect. A triage unit has been set up. One suspect has been taken into custody.

All vehicle and pedestrian traffic into and out of the airport has been limited. LAPD is doing a sweep of the arrival area of Terminal 3. One witness, Robert Perez, said that TSA agents shouted that a man had a gun in the terminal. “I heard popping and everybody dropped to the ground,” Perez said. Another witness reported a dozen shots fired. A Federal Aviation Authority map already shows flight slowdowns thanks to the incident; the FAA was put on a ground hold.

UPDATE: President Obama has been briefed on the situation at LAX, and the White House is taking the lead on the investigation into and response to the shooting. CBS News now reports that the shooter is an off-duty TSA agent, and that the TSA agent who was shot has now died. The report on the identity of the TSA shooter has been seconded by the Associated Press.

An eyewitness reported to ABC News Radio that the “fairly young” shooter holding a rifle shot perhaps 20 times after asking the witness, “Are you TSA?” When the witness shook his head, he “moved on.” A TSA officer holding the witness’ shoes was shot.